The subject matter disclosed herein relates to radiographic imaging of standing subjects, in particular, to applications using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography imaging.
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) imaging would provide a useful tool for diagnosis and treatment assessment, planning, and tracking for an animal as the imaging subject. Certain exemplary CBCT imaging apparatus and methods described herein may address a number of practical challenges for performing CBCT imaging in veterinary applications that relate to considerations such as protection and cleaning of the equipment, shielding of technicians and practitioners during imaging, humane treatment of the animal subject in positioning and restraining the subject for imaging, and efficient use of imaging time and resources. Imaging apparatus embodiments may include a number of features for helping to guide the animal into position and keep the animal in position during imaging. Other considerations may include animal response and behavior in preparing for imaging, during an imaging scan, and afterward, with the expectation that animal behavior may be unpredictable.
Animals have a fright-flight response to circumstances that are unfamiliar. Consequently, when a large animal attempts to escape the surroundings there is a significant potential for equipment damage and more importantly physical injury to the animal. A means to minimize the potential for damage and injury is for minimize the physical access of the CBCT system components. Equipment damage to the detector can result in detector replacement costs that constitute a significant portion of the cost of the CBCT system. The cost for injury to an animal is incalculable due to the uncertainty of the scope of potential injury.
A typical configuration for a CBCT system is for the detector and the source to orbit the object of interest such that the detector is parallel to the axis-of-rotation and the center of the detector is in the same plane as the orbit of the source. The object of interest is positioned at or near the axis of rotation of the system and the reconstructed object is centered on the orbital plane of the source. In this configuration the detector and source need to straddle the animal's leg. In the situation where the animal attempts to flee there may be parts of the imaging system that could easily be damaged by the animal or injure the animal. The present invention is a means to address this problem.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.